Uterine supporter



(No Model.)

A. T. SHERWOOD. UTERINE SUPPORTER.

Patented gept. 23, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEG ANDREIV T. SHERWOOD, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA.

UTERINE SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,861, datedSeptember 23, 1890.

Application filed February 23, 1888- Serial No. 265,036. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW T. Snnnwoon, of the city and county of SanFrancisco, and State of California, have invented an Improvement inUterine Supporters; and I hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description thereof.-

My invention relates to certain improvements in uterine supporters; andit consists of a two-part instrument with an intermediate spring toallow the automatic adjustment of the supporter, a rotary movement andadjustment of the cup upon the stem, a central duct through the stem fordrainage, and a means for applying an electrical current through theinstrument and directly to the parts, all of which will be more fullyexplained by referencetothe accompanyingdrawings,inwhich Figure 1 is anexterior view of my device. Fig. 2 is a section taken through the axisof the stem.

A is the cup of the supporter, which is made semi-globular, or it mayhave one side a little higher than the other, this portion of theinstrument not differing from the ordinary construction. The stem B maybe straight or suitably curved and is made hollow. Its lower end iscountersunk and screw-threaded on the inside, so as to screw upon theshort hollow extension 0, being also enlarged, so as to fit over thisextension and form a shoulder and a tight joint with it. The lower endof the extension has an enlargement or button I), and the lower part ofthe stem is loosely inclosed in a hollow conical casing E, the button Dlying outside of the base E of the casing. It will be noticed that thisbase is screw-threaded to register with the threads of the lower portionof the conical casing, whereby said base may be readily detached whennecessary to obtain access to the inte rior of the casing. Within thiscasing is a spiral or other spring F, which surrounds the extension 0,and its lower end presses against the base E, while its upper end abutsagainst the shoulder formed by the enlargement of the stem B, thusholding the button D in contact with the base of the casing and keepingthe stem and cup up with an elastic pressure.

The supports for the instrument are hollow tubes or elastic cords H, andthese in the ordinary instrument pass through an enlarged disk or baseformed upon the lower end of the stem. These cords or tubes soon losetheir elasticity, and my invention is designed to overcome thisdiiiiculty by the use of the spiral spring within the body of theinstrument.

In my device the elastic supports II pass through the casing E, and thestem passes loosely through the casing, so that it may be turned withinit, thus allowing of the adj ustment of the cup to any desired positionwithout moving or disturbing the casing or the supporting strapsorcords. By this construction and the use of the spiral spring the stemand cup are allowed to turn freely in the easing with every movement ofthe body, and all friction or rubbing of the cup upon the parts withwhich it is in contact is prevented. The spring yields to any pressureor moveineut which affects the stem in the direction of its axis, andthus holds the cup against the parts with a continuous but yieldingpressure independent of the supporting cords or straps H. The centralpassage is supplemental to the drainage-holes I, ordinarily made in thesides of the cup, and it allows the acrid secretions of the parts to becarried out without contact with any part of the body. By reason of thescrew joint between the parts B and O the chamber containing the springis protected and kept dry.

J is a flat or other suitably-shaped metallic plate which fits in thebottom of the cup A, and an insulated wire or cord K connects with itand extends out of the instrument through the central passage. Thisconductor may be connected with one of the poles of a voltaic belt whichis worn about the body of the patient, and the other pole is applied tothe back or other part by means of a plate, orin any other desiredmanner. The application of such belts being well known, I have notdescribed them in detail.

I am aware that uterine supports have been employed in which the pessaryis supported upon a spring or elastic stem, and I do not therefore claimthis construction broadly; but

WVhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

In a uterine supporter, the combination of a cup, a tubular stemdepending therefrom and provided on its lower end with an enlargementhaving interior threads,v a separable hollow extension provided at itsupper end with exterior threads registering with the threads of thelower enlarged end of the stem and atits lower end with a button orhead, a loosely-fitting conical casing surrounding the lower enlargedend of the stem, a removable base for said casing, supportingcords orstraps secured to said casing, and a spring contained within the casing,said spring surrounding the separable hollow extension, having its lowerend bearing against the base of the casing and its upper end bearingagainst the enlarged end of the stem, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW T. SHERWOOD.

Witnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, H. 0. LEE.

